It's Always Sunny in Inkopolis
by limebyte
Summary: It's been five months since Agent 4 rescued the Great Zapfish from the Octarians. Now, just as people around Inkopolis begin to vanish with no apparent explanation, they've been called back into the fray by Marie. Join as they deal with new recruits and new problems to face. (And, not to mention, the peculiar strangers popping up around town...)
1. Chapter 1

" _Y'all know what time it is!"_

A blaring voice reverberated through the sound booth. The woman in the booth cringed at the sheer loudness of it, instantly moving her hand to her headset. " _It's Off the Hook, coming at you live from Inkopolis Square!_ " She breathed a small sigh of relief, reclining in the plush chair. Taking a quick glance around the room, her eyes finally rested on the digital clock at the leftmost corner of her desk. _She'd be on soon_.

The desk, along with considerable parts of the booth in its entirety, was a dark mahogany, the tabletop mostly cluttered with various soundboards and monitors. The poster to her left, a bright tangerine, read _CPOD FM_. The station's slogan followed underneath it, in smaller text. The woman straightened her back, taking a deep breath. She had long since outgrown her fear of public speaking. Her frequent presentations from her school years, as well as countless hours on the air, had rid her of apprehension. Yet, she found herself needing some consolation to quiet her thoughts. The idol duo, it seemed, was the perfect fit for that. She reached over the glass edges of the booth, and slid open the office window.

The late July sun was vicious. Of course, it was always sunny in Inkopolis, but it appeared that the weather got even more intense during these months. The balmy air drifted in through her window, the distant sound of cicadas accompanying it. Summer was in full swing. The woman gazed out her window, taking in the view below. She had been living in the city for six months now, but still delighted in viewing the people cross by below. She was lucky to have a job so close to the city center, she thought. It was more crowded, certainly, but she couldn't think of anywhere else in the world where the people were so _colorful_. Inklings sporting hair practically every shade imaginable would traverse the avenue at some point of their day, commuting from home to school, part-time jobs to home.

Although, on a more dour note, she couldn't say she loved having her early morning slot compete with Off the Hook. The pair were immensely popular, so it was no surprise most of the city would be listening to them. They showed up at almost every major event around the city. Posters advertising their show practically covered all of downtown, adorning even the shadiest alleyways. Despite all that, she didn't mind them, for the most part. The woman was far from upset at the girls. ( _Though, she wouldn't exactly say the same for CPOD station management._ )

As far as getting people to listen, she had her ways. Hell, she watched their show in between shifts, just as she was doing now. She had to hand it to them, they were talented. Even if she didn't pay close attention to most of what they said—she was a tad too old for Turf Wars—she enjoyed listening to their news coverage, never mind its usual briefness.

" _Looks like that's all the time we've—"_

" _Hold that thought, Pearl! This just in!"_ Marina, the taller of the two, gasped. Her sea-green eyes scanned the width of her laptop, widening as she continued to read further down the laptop screen. The woman in the radio booth paused what she was doing, turning to look at the computer monitor on her right. It was de rigueur for the two to interrupt each other from time to time, but the Octoling sounded rather concerned. The program's music, a bouncy number, quieted. The show's casual atmosphere had all but vanished. " _Folks…_ " She paused for a second. The woman could have sworn she saw her gulp.

" _We've just gotten..._ several _reports of Inkopolis citizens going missing_ ," The dark-haired girl almost stuttered.

" _Holy carp, Marina! Are you being for real right now?!_ " The shorter Inkling looked incredulous, fidgeting in her seat.

" _Those who have disappeared have left no signs of their current status, or the circumstances leading up to their disappearance."_ She began to read aloud from her laptop screen. " _Uh… 'at this time, the city of Inkopolis will be implementing lockdown procedure eight-fifteen. Please wait until the all clear is given. Until then, make sure you and your loved ones are aware of each other's locations, and refrain from leaving past city lines'._ "

...Leaving past city lines? Was Inkopolis being put on lockdown? ( _And most worrying of all, why was this being announced on a talk show about Turf War?!_ ) The woman felt a pit form in her stomach. Her mouth was dry.

The woman heard the door creak open behind her. One of the station's interns had entered, a new hire. He clutched a small clipboard to his chest. "You're on in thirty seconds," he spoke in a hushed tone. She afforded a small nod. She heard a quiet, _good luck_ , and he exited the room as quickly as he had entered. The woman readied herself at the desk, adjusting dials and buttons on the soundboard. The seconds before she spoke were always the best, she thought. The feeling of elation of making yourself heard, however slight, never failed to give her a rush of adrenaline.

But, today was different. She couldn't get the _Off the Hook_ broadcast out of her head. No one she knew personally had vanished… yet. Indeed, the news was unnerving. It didn't matter how huge Inkopolis was, she felt boxed in. She hated that feeling. The woman took a final breath, trying to shake the thoughts out of head. She slid her chair over to the charcoal-tinged microphone. _Three… two… one._

It seemed, perhaps, that the woman had more pressing things to worry about besides having to share time slots.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Good morning, Inkopolis. Have you heard the news? If not, let me catch you up to speed: looks like you and I are gonna be coming down with a serious case of cabin fever. Worry not! We here at CPOD FM will be keeping you company all throughout the city lockdown. Until then, here's High Tide Era with 'Hooked'..."_

The DJ's smooth voice sounded through the girl's headphones as she walked into the western alleyway of Inkopolis Square. The sun was beginning to shine down on the city, warming the dark pavement below her feet. Agent 4 tugged at her jacket sleeve as she listened. She had heard the news, alright. The lockdown had begun almost immediately after the announcement. Officials had begun to circle the perimeter of the city, and some had even started to patrol residential districts. Upon looking out her apartment window, Four had spotted two of them near the complex's lobby. Was she worried that the city was basically being shut down? Well, yeah. But she had faced worse.

That being said, though, the Inkling had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to all of this than what was being let on. After all, she was on her way to make a not-so-triumphant return to Octo Canyon. Marie had summoned her to the area early that morning, prompting her to once again don her agent garb and make the journey down to Tentakeel Outpost. She knew several of the other squidkids pacing around the plaza (seeing that she was an avid, if lackluster, Turf War player in her spare time), but she hoped the lime jacket would make her a bit more unrecognizable. The girl took a quick glance to make sure no one was staring, and leaped into the grate.  
The metallic sides of the tubing were cold against her skin. It made its familiar creaks as she slid through it, trying to make sure her belongings didn't escape her grip. Soon enough, she heard the sound of birds in the distance—she had reached the other side.

Four exited out of the grate, her tentacles taking on a greenish shade. She stood up, dusted herself off, and looked around, re-familiarizing herself with the outpost. It had been months since she had been to the locale, let alone talked to Callie or Marie. After her stint as Agent 4, both of them seemed reluctant to speak with her again. She didn't blame them; the Inkling was sure the two were busy enough with their music careers. Nevertheless, she had to admit she felt let down. Even if she wouldn't be receiving any thanks for the whole rescuing-the-Zapfish thing, she at least hoped she would be able to keep in touch with the cousins. But, alas, that had not been the case.

Attempting to quiet her thoughts, she stepped off the grate platform, taking a couple paces forward. The concrete perimeter of the island was adorned with the usual wrecked traffic signs and spare electrical wires, the stone supporting the outpost was a warm taupe. The small cabin at her right looked the same as it had back in March, when she had first arrived at Octo Canyon. At first glance, she didn't spot Callie or Marie. Oh, well, Four thought. She could wait. Behind her, the glass globe that had once held Octavio was nowhere to be seen. Four assumed it must have been moved someplace else—she doubted Agents 1 and 2 would have let the Octarian general go that easily. Ahead of her stood the rest of the floating outpost, with its multitude of kettles connecting them to the more metropolitan parts of the Canyon. But, her missions there had been completed, so she opted to ignore the island beyond the stone archway. She turned her attention to the blue loveseat to her left, which stood under the shade of a large tree. The old, clunky television set was placed a yard or two in front of it (although, if her memory served her right, it barely got any signal).

There was a stranger asleep on the couch. An Octoling boy had curled up on the furniture, hugging onto one of the throw pillows Callie had placed on the sofa. She backed up suddenly, letting out a muffled yelp. She had no weapon. Instinctively, Four threw up her hands, half-shielding herself with upturned palms. Who was this guy?!

She heard a familiar laugh. "Woah, calm down, Four! He's not an intruder or anything." She turned to look at the source of the voice: Callie. The dark-haired Inkling stood outside Cuttlefish Cabin, still in a coral nightgown which extended to her calves. It was, after all, eight o'clock on a Saturday morning. Four slowly lowered her hands. "Who… is he?"  
"Oh! That's Agent 8. He's what I suppose you could call a new hire ," Callie stepped out past the shade provided by the cabin. It appeared she was as chipper as always. "Gramps found him during his mission. They got back a couple hours ago, so I think he'll probably be conked out for a while." Oh. Four had heard that their grandfather had left the city for some time. She nodded her head. "So… Agent 8? What happened to Five through Seven?" She half-joked—it had come out sounding a bit more rude than she had hoped for.

"Don't look at me, I didn't give him the name!" Callie smiled. "Anyways, turns out he escaped from Cephalon some time ago."  
"He escaped from _headquarters_? How?! "  
"After Three took down DJ Octavio—well, the first time—some of the Octolings managed to leave the depths. But, you know that, right?" Four was surprised at how readily Callie was discussing Octavio. After all, she had been held captive there just months prior. "...Yeah." It was true. Callie and Marie had told her all about her predecessor's exploits. She had met him once, but that had been ages ago.

"Eight here had to go through some kind of testing ground, I think?" Callie raised an eyebrow. "Ugh, Gramps barely explained what happened to us," she puffed her cheeks. "Speaking of which, Marie was hoping we could get something out of him. She says she's sure he's got something useful on the Octarians. Not like we'll be seeing much of them in the meantime, but it never hurts to be ahead."

"Oh-kay. Sorry to circle back, but… what happened to Octavio?" Four motioned to the space behind her. "His snowglobe is, uh, gone."  
"Oh, him? Marie managed to relocate the containment unit. No need to worry about him." The green-haired Inkling eyed Callie suspiciously. "Huh. What about the rest of the agents?"

"Well, let's see. Marie and I are here on the Outpost, so that's the first two… you're here, new boy is here, and Agent 3 is, well... "  
"What?"

"He's gone." Callie must've noticed the expression on Four's face, as she instantly followed up: "He's not dead or anything! …I think. He left Inkopolis months ago."  
"Why? He saved Inkopolis, why would he just leave right after like that?""Beats me." Despite her nonchalant tone, Four detected some wistfulness in the Inkling's eyes. Callie cleared her throat. She was ready to change the topic.

"So. Callie."  
"Yes?"

"Have you heard about those people disappearing?" The story was as upsetting as the topic they were discussing before, but she got the feeling it would be hard to get the Inkling to budge on the subject of Agent 3.  
"I have, actually."  
"Pretty worrying, huh?"  
"Sure is."

 _Silence_. Neither said nothing for what must have only been 20 seconds, but felt like an eternity. A warm breeze passed by, howling as it flew threw the cracks and crevices of the canyon's rock formations. Then, from the interior of the wooden cabin, came a small creak . The screen door slid open, revealing an already dressed Marie. She wore the ornate kimono she had on when she and Four first met, months ago. She opened her green parasol as she exited into the sunlight. Her expression, as expected, was one of casual disinterest.

"Agent Four. Long time, no see," she said.  
"Marie! I was just talking with Sy—I mean, Four," Callie said. Marie smiled dryly, sighing at her cousin's apparent lack of professionalism. The green-haired Inkling tried to comfort her. "You can just call me by my real name, it's not like we're in the middle of a mission or anything," she said. Marie glared.  
"Mission or not, you never know who could be listening in," she crossed her arms. Callie seemed to ignore her.

"So, Four. Met the new guy yet?"  
"Kind of? Not really. He's been asleep since I got here."  
"Aw, man. Well, let's just say he's a man of few words. Totally great, though. Guy's adorable."  
"Sure. Uh, side question: is he just hanging out here, does he have a place to stay, or...?"

"Actually, that's part of the reason I called you down here," Marie spoke up. "Now that we've confirmed Gramps is safe, One and I are getting ready to clear out of the area. Something tells me my grandfather won't be able to care for both himself and another person."  
"What makes you think I can?" Was this the only reason Marie had called her so painfully early in the morning?!  
"I'm certain taking someone in won't be too big of a problem for you." Seeing the discontent on the agent's face, she added: "Besides, this is only temporary. We're trying to locate a place near Flounder Heights. We need to keep an eye on him while he adjusts to life in Inkopolis."

Four tried her best to look upset. She was not expecting part of her duties as agent to be babysitting one of the new recruits. Her tiny apartment near Moray Towers would be ridiculously cramped with a second person residing there, she was sure of it. Why would the agents just throw this on her all of a sudden?! She let out a long sigh: she was supposed to be angry. The cousins looked at her expectantly. "Fine," she relented.

Marie smiled. "Good." She sat down near the TV set, underneath the tree's shade, closing her parasol and laying it beside her. "Take a seat. We've got some catching up to do."

 _"...Expect some showers in the late afternoon, followed by a lovely, clear evening. Around 9 P.M., we should be having a high of 81 degrees with a low of 75. Nothing to do tonight? The Department of Parks and Recreation will be holding an outdoor movie night in Atolla Square starting at seven. Snacks and seating will be provided. Don't miss it, folks."_

 _"Well, that about does it for me—until then, good night, Inkopolis._


	3. Chapter 3

Hours passed. Marie, Callie, and Four had spent the rest of the day speaking about the months that had gone by. Of course, nothing really riveting had occurred since the Zapfish had finally been retrieved. But, conversation under the shade of the chestnut tree was always pleasant. Marie told them about how she had gotten into gardening during her time at the outpost, and Four recounted the tale of how she had gotten caught in Sheldon's store during a thunderstorm and had to listen to him ramble for _two hours_. In the time they had spent chatting away, the sky darkened considerably. The summer sky had turned a beautiful apricot color, the sun morphing into a cherry red. The air around them warmed as the afternoon rolled in. An earthy, metallic smell wafted through the air. _It should be raining soon_ , Four thought.

Grey clouds began to form overhead. The three could hear hushed thunder in the distance. Marie moved herself to the sofa where Eight was still asleep, and opened her parasol instinctively. "Your 'brella should be in the cabin," she said. (It was more of a command than a statement.) Four did as instructed, getting up and walking towards the wooden home. She slid the screen door open, finding the black-and-yellow umbrella leaning against the entrance. Its true function was as a weapon, but the canopy-shaped shield it had would come in handy during a storm. She grabbed it and exited to the concrete outside, deploying the 'brella. Right on cue, the tell-tale _pitter-patter_ of rain began to sound on the cabin's metal rooftop.

Four looked towards the corner of the outpost. Marie had opened the parasol before the shower even started, and was now sheltering both Callie and Eight from the rain. The white-haired Inkling had perched herself on the armrest of the sofa Eight was resting on, while her cousin sat on the concrete ground. Four leaned against the tree trunk, checking her phone for the time—six-thirty in the afternoon. _Whoa._ Had she really been on the island for almost twelve hours? She gazed out beyond the outpost, seeing the fuzzy grey blob that was Inkopolis. Lights had begun to turn on, illuminating the city's skyscrapers. "I should get going," she broke the silence. The cousins turned to look at her. "I want to make it home before it gets too dark out."

"Good idea," Marie said. "I'll try to wake Agent 8 up." Four had forgotten she would be taking the Octoling boy in for the next few days. She gathered her belongings as Marie prodded the boy with the back of her palm, all while saying the word "hey" repeatedly. (Classic Marie.) The Octoling slowly opened his eyes, moving a magenta tentacle out of his face. He groaned and sat up. The boy wore tight-fitting garments, made out of some shiny, black fabric.  
Four approached the other three, more than ready to leave the outpost. Eight stared at her. She glanced around awkwardly, hoping somebody would say something. No one did.

"Hello," the green-haired Inkling said. She half-smiled at the boy. He opened his mouth, as if meaning to respond, but said nothing. Four waved. He raised his hand. "You're going to be living with me until the other agents find a place for you," she informed him, though she was sure he already knew. _Well, this conversation was going great._ Eight nodded, standing from his place on the sofa. It seemed Marie had been right when she said he was a man of few words. She motioned to the grate, still holding the umbrella in hand. "Good luck, Four!" Marie looked at the agent with a smug grin, Callie laughing as well. Four returned the gesture, as she and her new roommate jumped into the metal tubing below them.

The two arrived back in Inkopolis Square. Standing up from the grate, Four's hair, previously a yellow-green, reverted back to its usual sky blue. The rain had not let up, worsening, in fact, as puddles now dotted the black asphalt of the square. As per protocol, inclement weather meant that Turf Wars were temporarily suspended, so the plaza was close to deserted. _Good_ , Four thought. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to spot the strange newcomer to Inkopolis. Of course, Octolings had begun moving in to Inkopolis in larger numbers last year, but she had the suspicion that Eight's behavior might be a dead giveaway that they were up to something. Four began to walk in her apartment's direction, yet Eight stood, frozen, in the square. The girl stopped as well, now curious.  
The Octoling gazed at his surroundings in awe, taken aback by the neon lights scattered across the square. The different stores in the area looked absolutely dazzling at night; Four had to admit that it was a sight to behold. She had to remember: he was still new to Inkopolis. She looked at her new companion, eyes bright. He was smiling. "Let's get going," she whispered, but even she was hesitant to leave. Slowly but surely, they began their trip home. Four turned a right into the alleyway outside of the square; a shortcut she knew well. She glanced behind her, making sure the Octoling was following close behind.

The alley was quite narrow, lined by back doors of the street's businesses. The pair walked past them, Four a bit nervous. She had crossed through the shortcut a number of times, but never at night. Still, Inkopolis was a relatively safe city, she reassured herself. The only sounds, besides the gentle melody of rain, were the two's footsteps. Aside from that, it was silent—uncomfortably so. The Inkling, who had been listening to the radio, unplugged her earbuds, hoping that the sounds from her cell would put her at ease. (An Ink Theory song had been playing.) Despite her attempts at reassurance, however, she was wary. It seemed that Eight felt the same. The agent stopped in the middle of the road, taking a look around. The streetlights beyond the alleyway cast odd shadows on the pavement. _Someone was following them._ Four spun around in an instant, startling the Octoling next to her. She breathed heavily, waiting for their pursuer to appear.

Two figures materialized from the darkness. They looked to be Octolings, eerily similar to the ones she had faced off against back in Octo Canyon. The outfits they donned were simple, black uniforms. Both of them wielded Octo Shots. Yet, Four couldn't help but notice something off about them. Their skin was a sickly green color, and their hair, usually a cross between rust and magenta, was a strange blue-green. They moved like machines, almost in unison. Four stepped back, taking a look at Eight. He seemed horrified. Had he fought people like this before? _She didn't have time to think about that,_ the girl thought. _She was unarmed._ Both she and Eight had no weapons, and she didn't even know if he could fight. Before she could deliberate on the matter any further, one of the figures—the one near the Inkling—raised her weapon and fired. The Inkling dashed out of the way, evading the ink, which landed in a small puddle on the ground. It had an unsettling appearance, its teal surface clouded over by a kind of oil-slick pattern. The Octoling continued to fire with startling precision, narrowly missing the Inkling several times. Yet, Four knew she wouldn't be able to dodge her attacks much longer. She had to disarm her.

As for Eight, he seemed to be faring rather well. He bobbed and weaved through the other Octoling's attacks with grace Four very much lacked. He had managed to pin down the other Octoling, a knee on her stomach, and disarm her. He grabbed the Octo Shot, and began to aim at the woman. She made a sound resembling a hiss, trying to grab at the weapon. No luck for her. Turning her attention back to her own attacker, the Inkling curled her hands into fists. Was she confident in her hand-to-hand combat skills? Not really. But it was the only option she had left—the Octolings didn't look as if they planned on letting up any time soon.

The agent tried her best to keep getting out of the ink's way as she put herself into something of a fighting stance. The woman had almost inked a perfect circle around her. In an moment fueled purely by adrenaline, the Inkling threw her full weight onto the assailant, wrestling her to the ground. The Octo Shot clattered to the floor. Four tried her best to pin the woman down by the arms, but the Octoling clawed at her wrists, causing her to let go. The Octoling stood back up, reaching for her weapon. Four, seeing an opening, punched her attacker, hoping to at least stun her for a second. Her fist connected with the woman's torso, producing a muffled thud. The Octoling stumbled backwards, looking as if the air had been knocked out of her. Four let out a short sigh of relief, before making the mistake of stepping back. Before the Inkling saw anything, she felt a sharp pain run up her leg. She looked behind her, and saw that she had moved into the oil-slick ink. It stung like acid. _What was in that ink?_ Four screamed, her vision beginning to fade around the edges. _She couldn't move._ The girl was still gripping her phone tightly when the song that had been playing on the radio ended. A calm voice came on the air. " _Good evening, Inkopolis,_ " it said. So this was how she died, she thought. Listening to the radio while she dissolved into ink. She braced for the inevitable. " _Tonight's traffic report is brought to you by SquidForce, your first destination for gear._ "

Suddenly, the Octoling women froze. They stood perfectly straight, dropping their weapons to the ground. The DJ on the radio continued. " _Two lanes are closed on East 45th street, coming off of the Inkopolis highway. For those of you commuting home tonight, allow a few minutes before getting behind the wheel._ " Eight had taken advantage of the situation, managing to pull Four out of the turquoise puddle. The agent rubbed her leg, still breathing heavily. Why had they stopped?

" _If you're looking to make it to the Inkopolis Symphony's concerto at the Museum d'Alfonsino exhibition center, try taking Cirrina Avenue, then make a left._ " The Octolings, still unarmed, approached the agents. Four yelped as one of them stuck a gloved hand out—she had grabbed the girl's... phone…? She let her have it in her confusion, she wasn't about to protest about something so inconsequential. The woman now spoke into Four's (former) phone, as if she was trying to communicate with the voice on the radio. She couldn't understand what she was saying. ...Was she speaking Octarian?  
Nonetheless, it seemed that the agent had better things to worry about. If she had to sacrifice her phone, so be it. Hoping that the Octolings were distracted enough, she grabbed Eight's hand and ran, no longer caring if she was spotted by anyone. Her only objective now was to make it to her apartment.

In any case, it appeared that she and Marie were going to have quite the discussion when she got home.


	4. Chapter 4

The agents didn't stop running until they reached the apartment complex's lobby. Four slammed the door behind her, looking out through the glass doors. The storm had calmed significantly, the pale moon now shining down on Inkopolis. Adorning some of the concrete buildings outside were posters that Four recognized. They all featured a large eye, whose pupil was marked with a shape like two waves. Below and above the eye logo was a word in a script the Inkling couldn't read. She had seen the posters before, in the alleyway next to that dilapidated subway terminal. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see if she could make out the text. No such luck.  
In any case, those Octolings wouldn't have followed them all the way here, Four thought. She closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath. Eight looked (understandably) concerned. Luckily, the lobby of the building was deserted. Four began to walk over to the ancient landline on the wall, trying to slow her racing heartbeat. She had to talk to Marie. Tapping out the agent's number into the dial pad, she held the handset to her ear and waited.

"Are you alright?" A soft voice said. It was Eight. So he did speak, after all… She noted he had a slight accent. It must have been Octarian. The Inkling looked up at him and nodded, affording a small smile. It was partly true: she hadn't suffered any grievous injuries, but the spot where the ink had splashed up onto her still hurt like hell. A dark splotch had formed on the area where it had hit her. Fortunately, however, the burning sensation was beginning to fade. The dial tone ceased playing.

"Hello?" Marie answered.  
"Agent Two."  
"Four? Where are you calling from?"  
"I'm on a landline. Look, Eight and I just got into a bit of a situation ."  
"Yes?" She sounded worried. Four explained the encounter to the Inkling, trying to remain as brief as possible. Marie stayed silent through most of it.  
"Four, do you think that those… things… have any connection with the people disappearing?" Marie started. She sounded a bit pressed. Four paused, trying to think of something to say."I… I don't know, honestly. We didn't stay around to find out." She could hear Marie sigh through the speaker.  
"Alright. God, I can't believe we have to deal with this , on top of everything else... "  
Four's tone shifted. "Complaining won't get us anywhere. I'm just as confused as you are, but it's not like we can just sit around doing nothing while Inkopolis burns."  
"Okay, jeez," Marie sounded taken aback by that. "Agent One and I can show up at your place in twenty minutes. We can sort this out. Anything else you want?"  
"Yeah, actually," Four said. "Can you guys hook me up with a new phone?"

* * *

Four stared at the flip phone in her hands, a relic from a bygone era. Perhaps she was just a bit too used to having access to a smartphone at all times, but this was archaic. It was longer than her palm and about four inches in width, its color a gaudy purple. It looked like a child's plaything. "This is the only thing we could get you on such short notice," Marie had said, tossing the metallic object in her direction. "Maybe be more careful next time, yeah?" The Inkling glared.  
Callie and Marie had arrived in her Moray Towers apartment just fifteen minutes after she and Eight had, Marie holding a sizable purse in her right hand. The apartment itself was far from spacious, comprising of the main room (a hybrid kitchen-living space) and Four's bedroom, which connected to a tiny bathroom. The walls were painted a stark white, in sharp contrast to the charcoal sofa at the corner of the room. Multiple throw pillows, as well as several stuffed animals from Four's childhood, were placed haphazardly on the furniture. (Four had gone into a mad dash trying to clean up once she heard that the idols were on their way, but to no avail).

Callie sat down on the couch, taking on a criss-cross position. Marie leaned against the wall nonchalantly. She had left her parasol back at the outpost, it seemed. Eight stood around, looking unsure of how to position himself. Four felt rather awkward, as well. She entered the small kitchenette, trying to occupy herself. "Can I get you two anything? Coffee, tea, water?" Four said, hoping to be a more gracious host. She'd never had anyone, much less two of the city's most well-known celebrities, in her home before.  
"I'm fine, thanks," Callie smiled politely. Marie, on the other hand, answered with a, "If you've got any tea, that'd be great." The white-haired Inkling scrolled through her cell phone. "Eight, you want anything?" Four added. (He shook his head.) The girl got to work on Marie's request, turning on the electric kettle her mother had gifted her.

"So," Marie started. "You and Eight ran into some strange-looking Octolings, who stole your phone and ran away? Sounds to me like you just got mugged."  
"Marie!" Four was, admittedly, embarrassed by that. "Well, kinda. But there's more to it than just that! They were trying to attack us when one of them just took my cell all of a sudden. She seemed like she was trying to talk to the voice on the radio or something."  
"Okay… and?" She sounded unimpressed. Just then, Eight spoke. "Those weren't Octolings. Not like the ones I know." Marie went silent . "He's right," Four said. She moved to near the couch, carrying a small tray. It held two cups of tea: one for her, and one for Marie, as well as the prerequisite sugar and cream."Those Octolings were a weird color, this kind of aqua. They moved like machines—like they were being controlled by something," she added. "Before they took my stuff, they basically froze in place."

"That was when the DJ came on the radio, right?" Marie asked.  
"Yeah, but why…?" Four stopped. Marie wasn't paying attention. Instead, she grasped the mug, turning around to face her cousin. The white-haired Inkling raised a brow. Callie looked back at her, responding with a small nod. "Four. Marie and I talked about this on the way over here, but…" Callie began. She paused for a second, looking like she was trying to think of what to say next. "It's clear that there's something going on behind the scenes here. First, the disappearances, and now this? There's definitely something happening in Inkopolis." Four nodded. Callie was right—something here was totally fishy (no pun intended). Marie chimed in. "If we're gonna get to the bottom of this, we'll need reinforcements." She took a long sip. "Callie and I are going to try to seek out Pearl and Marina." Four's eyes widened. "You think that will work?"

"They helped Eight escape from the Metro, so with some luck they'll join the Splatoon as true members."  
"...Fair enough."  
"And, you two: we'll need you to track down and apprehend Agent 3."  
"What?! Marie, Three's gone, you and I both know that!"  
"And I trust you and Agent 8 will be able to find him. I know he's not dead; besides, he's bound to have some intel. I haven't looked for him myself since—well, I have my reasons." Four was incredulous. Marie had pulled some pretty out-there things before, but this was the worst so far.  
"Just how are we supposed to do that? Even if we find Agent 3, what's the plan? Ask him nicely to come back?"  
"Unless you have something better in mind?" Well, no… Four remained silent. Marie smiled, looking rather self-satisfied. "Good. You should probably get packing, then."

The agent turned back to her room. They'd probably be gone for a while, a couple of days at most. (If Three didn't show up in three days of their arrival at the canyon, she was bailing herself out—no matter what Marie said.) Eight had nothing to pack, so he hovered around Four as she assembled her things. Four couldn't blame him; after that little spat with Marie, she was feeling more than a bit uncomfortable. The girl picked up a faded knapsack from her bedroom floor, and began carelessly throwing stuff into the bag. Some bedrolls? Yeah, they'd probably be needing that. She tossed in some canteens she had lying around (Sheldon had given a rather concerning number of survival supplies to both her and Marie upon joining the agents), along with the odd pack of freeze-dried food here and there. Four had never been on a prolonged mission like this. She had no idea what to pack, let alone how much.  
Every so often, Eight grabbed a random object and held it up for a couple seconds, almost as if asking for approval from Four. Some of these were actually useful (the flashlight and compass fell into this category) and others—not so much. He held up one of the girl's stuffed animals: an azure manta ray, the plush adorned with a cartoonishly cute face. Four stopped packing for a second, and looked at the Octoling. He motioned to the bag, an eyebrow raised. "What is this?" He said.

"It's… it's a plushie." Did he not know what it was? The Octarians were frugal when it came to matters outside war, but this was something else.  
"Oh." He slowly put it into the backpack. (Four didn't protest.) Perhaps rooming with this guy wouldn't be all bad, she thought as she tied the bag shut. She took a deep breath, walking back out into the living room to face Marie.

The cousins had stood up, and were already well under way out the door. Upon seeing the agents emerge, Marie spun on her heels, digging a hand into her purse. Her hand reappeared holding a weapon. "Agent Eight," she said. "I want you to have this," she held out an Octo Shot. It was painted an inky black, with silver accents streaking the sides. The Octoling boy grinned sheepishly. Four, too, couldn't help but smile. Marie's gesture was touching.  
"And," she continued, "Agent Four." Four's heart seemed to stop beating for a second. What could Marie want? "I think you'll be happy to have this back," she reached into the bag once again. "Here." Grasped in her palm, Marie held yet another weapon. It was a simple yellow and black color scheme, rather rectangular in its design. Four recognized it all too well.

The Hero Shot.


	5. Chapter 5

Marie sat in the studio's lobby, squinting at the glaring LED lights. She and Callie had been waiting for almost an hour. Their meeting with Off the Hook had been scheduled for one in the afternoon—the clock had almost struck three. On top of that, they had already arrived crazy late, as Marie had wasted yet another hour waiting for Callie to get ready. The two shared an apartment, located in the posh Flounder Heights neighborhood of Inkopolis. Their neighbors weren't exactly A-listers, but they were rather well-off, if Marie said so herself. Regardless, the dark-haired Inkling always took an eternity to get ready, much to her cousin's dismay. Whether it be because of her trying to get her hair to fall just right, sleeping through her alarm, (or any other reason) Marie hated being late. She tried to not get worked up over it, but the contrast between the pair's lifestyles was jarring.

In any case, she was getting impatient. The AC in the small waiting room had broken down in the July sun, and the heat was stifling. Of course, she was sure her outfit didn't contribute; she had traded her kimono for a casual olive-toned sweatshirt, along with dark jeans and a face mask covering half of her visage. The Inkling had taken the modest wardrobe years ago, back when the Squid Sisters had just debuted. In an effort to draw away crowds, the girl had begun to wear a simple surgical mask—it worked wonders. The idol duo's popularity had waned over the years, but Marie had found herself oddly attached to the gear. She found comfort in the anonymity it provided. Callie, equally as unfit for the sweltering atmosphere, had donned a bright pink cardigan over a grey shirt.

Their mission had been planned the night prior: recruit Marina and Pearl as members of the Splatoon. Almost immediately after leaving to their apartment, Marie had contacted her and Callie's agent, saying she needed a meeting arranged with the two idols ASAP. Of course, she left the exact reason for their rendezvous vague—she wasn't about to spill her plans to induct them into a government agency with reason to believe thatsomething was coming for Inkopolis. Instead, she had simply stated "creative reasons". It seemed to do the trick.  
As for the other agents, they had departed from the city at dawn. How they got past the patrols, Marie hadn't really bothered to ask. The two were likely searching Octo Canyon at this point, though the Inkling knew there was no use in trying to contact them now. Unless Four and Eight had taken their radios with them (which they hadn't) there was no way to speak with them. So, Callie and Marie would have to wait it out and pray that they returned alive—and with Agent Three in tow. Marie had felt some remorse after being so blunt last night, but the only way to begin investigating what was happening behind the scenes was to speak with Three. Only then would they be able to uncover the threat to Inkopolis.

The lobby was painted a matte alabaster, with sleek, minimalist furniture decorating most of the room. Framed posters of the pop duo graced the walls, their bright colors standing in stark contrast to the rest of the waiting room. The clock on the wall ticked silently, though its sound was grating on Marie's ears. She had been pondering how to approach their meeting since the night prior; Pearl and Marina were certainly aware of the threats that had been posed on Inkopolis in the past (Marina, she was sure, was likely well-versed in that regard), but the Inkling was unsure if that was the best way to start their conversation. She had gathered little information from Eight, so she was far from sure of how far Off the Hook's involvement went. Thus, she would likely have to resort to actually talk about "creative reasons"... whatever the hell that meant.

The door to the small studio opened, Marina and Pearl exiting out of it. A warm breeze blew into the room, the air just as stagnant as it had been in the lobby. The duo's getups were considerably more glitzy than the cousins', after all, they had just gotten off the air. Marie straightened up in her seat instantly. The girls gave off a commanding presence, both Callie and Marie could feel it. Callie beamed at them, Marie half-smiling as she pulled down her face mask.

"It's so nice to finally meet you two!" Callie said, her voice going up a couple octaves. The white-haired Inkling stood up from her seat, holding out her hand to the girls.  
"Same here," the taller one, Marina, replied. "You guys were such a huge inspiration to me." The Octoling seemed to have an expression of permanent worry, brows furrowed. Pearl, on the other hand, had been surprisingly quiet so far, given her rather loud persona.  
"Being the best ain't easy without competition, right?" Pearl grinned. She had taken off the small crown from her head, fidgeting with it in her left hand. "So, what brings you to Pearl HQ?" Marina laughed, rolling her eyes. Her face flushed at her senior's dumb quip.  
"Actually, we were—"

"You know about Agent Eight," Marie blurted out and crossed her arms. Callie looked at her pleadingly, a sort of you blew it expression. Marie regretted those words almost instantly as they came out of her mouth, and she could feel a lump forming in her throat. She glanced wildly around the room, hoping someone was coming to fish her out of this situation. "Way to go, Marie," Callie muttered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Pearl's tone shifted, her face had grown cold. Marina twiddled her thumbs in the corner.  
"Don't lie. We're not here to hurt you." Callie had sat back down on the leather furniture, facepalming at her cousin's brashness. Well, she had ruined it now. Might as well go all in. "I just want to know about the situation with Eight. Nothing else." The two looked off to the side, almost as if thinking of what to say next.

"We didn't know how serious it was too late," it was Marina who spoke up, to Marie's surprise. "I thought Pearl and I were just helping a fellow Octarian escape to the surface. It was… more than that, to say the least."  
"What do you mean?"  
"There was thing with this statue wanting to destroy Inkopolis, and…" She trailed off.

"Wait, slow down. What was out to destroy Inkopolis?" Marie asked, her tone a little desperate. Pearl stepped forward. "'Reena and I don't know what went down exactly, even now. That thing started talking and half of what it was saying didn't make any sense. Stuff was going down in that lab though, that's for sure."  
"Wha—that lab?! Can you two just answer my questions already?!" Marie stuttered on her words, incredulous at how the conversation (well, more like interrogation) was going.  
"Marie," Callie said, her voice uncharacteristically stern. "Let me take over." She looked at her cousin expectantly. Marie nodded, quietly resigned. She had said more than enough for now.

"When did you first become, um… involved with Agent Eight? I mean, how did you find out about his situation?" Callie asked. Pearl looked around the room, almost as if making sure that no one was around.  
"We were at my family's vacation home on Mount Nantai. That was when this voice started coming in through our radio. He said he was looking for someone named Three?" She started. ...Three? Marie gulped. "Please continue," Callie said.  
"Well… They told us they were trapped underground and we decided to help 'em out." That was rather vague.

"I managed to pinpoint their location using the frequency emitted by Agent Eight's CQ-80 device," Marina spoke up. The worried look on her face was all but gone. "They were hundreds of miles underground. It's understandable why an Octoling would be so far beneath the surface, but the Cap'n and whoever he was supposed to be looking for―there's no reason they should have been there. Of course, I wasn't able to find any video feed of that place, but Pearl and I did spend some time trying to help Eight navigate to the surface." That was similar enough to what they already knew. Though, she wondered: Three had been gone for months now. Why on earth would her grandfather have been looking for him there? Octo Canyon would have been a much better place to start that search, unless, of course, the Captain had ended up in that testing facility by accident. Marie couldn't help but put her head in her hands. Why did everything have to be so confusing all of a sudden?

Marie cleared her throat. "So, you found out about their situation on Mount Nantai, and decided to help. What else happened between you? We know you helped him escape to Inkopolis, but Pearl, you mentioned a statue?"  
"Yeah," Pearl paused. "We had gotten him on the helicopter to get out of there, and this huge statue of a human started rising up out of the bay."  
"Human? How? They've been extinct for... "

"Thousands of years, yeah. Well, apparently, it was being controlled by this robot or somethin'..." Pearl looked at the taller girl, who began to speak yet again. "It was being controlled by this AI. It called itself Tartar, I think? It told us that it was going to destroy Inkopolis and start anew. That, and something about Octolings and Inklings being disgusting… In any case, Pearl was able to crush the statue before anything truly horrible went down. So, as far as we know, that thing's at the bottom of the ocean." Marie's head was spinning. How could Marina say something like that so nonchalantly? Callie looked equally as concerned, as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. "So… you fought this statue-robot-thing, and now it's just gone? Just like that?" She doubted something of that scale could be vanquished so easily.

"Yes."  
"What did you do with Eight after that?"  
"Um… Captain Cuttlefish and him left after that. He said they needed to be somewhere quick." She was probably referring to the Outpost, she thought. She sat back down on the plush sofa. She had been expecting quite the story from the Off the Hook, but at no point did she think the death of all Inkopolitans (Inkopolisians? Inkopolites?) would come into play. Their missions prior had been decidedly non-lethal: retrieve the Zapfish. That was all. Marina must have been through a lot if she was willing to say something so horrifying so easily, Marie thought. The girl's cousin, on the other hand, has straightened her back once more, trying her best to appear collected. They were idols, after all.

"It must have been rough for you guys out there," she said sympathetically.  
"Yeah," Pearl looked a bit morose.  
"I'd like to make you guys an offer." The tension in the air was palpable. Callie was about to drop the question, Marie just knew it. This had been what their mission had been riding on; if they could get Off the Hook on their side, practically anything would be possible.  
"What?"  
"We'd like you to join the New Squidbeak Splatoon as agents. We could always use some extra help," Callie beamed.

"What's in it for us?" Well, the white-haired Inkling wasn't expecting that. It seemed Callie was too, her face contorted into one of confusion at the girls' hesitation.  
"...Not dying? Saving the world?" Pause. Marina looked down at her cohort, unsure of how to respond. Pearl raised an eyebrow.  
"We're in." Marie couldn't help but smile. Callie had done it! She looked back at her cousin and laughed, Marie returning the gesture. "Nice," she pumped a fist in the air. "So…"

"You guys ready to be heroes?"


	6. Chapter 6

They had been in Octo Canyon for a day now— no luck yet. The two had been searching for Agent 3 for hours now, and had found little in the way of clues to his location. Eight and Four had left early that day; the girl had woken him before sunrise. They had grabbed their bags and escaped into the manhole in Inkopolis Square, the Inkling taking care to not traipse through the same shortcut as the night prior. (Luckily enough, they had managed to evade the officers surrounding the city—he wondered if they would be that fortunate on their return trip.)

Sure, he was accustomed to getting up at such an early hour, but it seemed that she was exhausted. Did Inklings never get up early? If so, that would be just another of the many cultural oddities he had encountered since he left the deep. The city in its entirety was bright and colorful, even as the Inkopolis had gone into lockdown. Nobody stared at him as he walked down the street, nor did anyone seem to care he was an Octoling. It was like squidkids had no other concerns besides Turf War and looking fresh.

In any case, the hunt for the missing agent was beginning to seem more and more like a fool's errand. Though, getting around was far from their problem. Eight knew the Canyon like the back of his hand, and Four had spent a considerable amount of time here during her missions. No, they had bigger concerns on their mind. First, avoiding the troops that patrolled the city was challenging, to say the least. The girl, besides already being an Inkling, was Agent freaking Four : the one who had taken out the beloved Octarian general. And Eight, of course, was considered a traitor and a deserter—there was no way he would be welcomed back.

The Octarians had upgraded their reinforcements since they had last been to the depths. While there had always been people on duty on the streets of more major cities, Octolings had begun to make the rounds on the outskirts of the Canyon, which proved to be a bit of an issue for the two. Parts of the Octarian settlements had reached towards the surface (Four had recounted some of those tales), though, so the two had opted to take those routes. Still, every couple hours, they found themselves having to sneak around an Octarian grunt or even an Elite, as they had done when they first left Inkopolis.

At the end of their first day, they had set up camp on the rocks above the Canyon. The sun was quickly sinking below the sandstone, and a chill breeze blew through the air. The tiny area they had chosen to settle down for the night was a floating concrete block adorned with traffic signs and lined with yellow barricades; the wreckage of what Octo Canyon had once been, centuries ago. The large tree at the corner would hopefully shield them for now. Four got to work unpacking their bedrolls, while Eight attempted to arrange some of their food into something resembling a meal.

"So. You think we'll be finding any sign of Three anytime soon?" Four said, stirring the contents of the plastic bowl in her hands. "I don't know if I'll be able to stand another day of this," she tried for a laugh.

"Hope so. I don't know how long it'll be until someone finds us," Eight answered. He could see the Inkling gulp.

"I hadn't thought of that. But hey, if that happens, we can get out of it together, right? Just like with the Octolings yesterday," she sounded confident, but her tone belied her appearance. Four looked terrified. He decided the change the subject. Eight set down the flimsy bowl he was holding. "Do you want this? I'm not hungry anymore." She leaned over to where he sat, peering at him.

"What? Eight, you've barely eaten anything."

"I said I don't want any more."

She didn't argue beyond that, taking the small container and covering it. "I'll save it for later," she said, stuffing the bowl into her bag. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her that he wasn't used to eating anything besides rations.

"You've got first watch, right?" He nodded. "G'night, then." She laid down, rolling over so she faced the entirety of Octo Canyon below. Eight, on the other hand, leaned against the bag Four had lent him the night prior. The night sky was a vibrant shade of sapphire, a million stars visible from where the Octoling stood. He had never seen the sky so clear before. His whole life, up until a few days ago, had been lived underground. When he reached the surface, the street lights in Inkopolis made it too bright to see. Now, every constellation lay before him, twinkling ever so delicately in the sky. He could get used to this , he thought.

The first signs of dawn soon appeared in the sky, awakening the agents. They had returned to work immediately, Four packing up their things as Eight began to plan their day ahead. Today, they would continue their trek through Octo Canyon. Ideally, they would have crossed the entire landform above ground, but the floating islands were too few and far between around these parts for that to work out. Instead, to Eight's dismay, the two would have to enter the Canyon through its many settlements.

Living in the depths, as Eight remembered it, was a bit of a living hell. Supplies of every kind were rationed. The underground was always too cold or too warm, and the air was always oppressively stale. Any media or entertainment (if it even got to them, that is) was barely recognizable beneath layers of Octarian propaganda. Most of the students in his graduating class the year back, if they hadn't already risen through the ranks of the army, were likely in prison or "missing". He shuddered, trying to forget those memories. He knew he escaped for a reason: there was no point in dwelling on those things now.

Besides, that knowledge could be put to much better use today, as their route for the day took them through the capital city of Caerula. Well, city was a strong word. All Octarian "cities" had been reduced to military encampments or rubble since they were banished to the depths, but the loss of the Zapfish had only worsened their conditions. Eight loathed to return, but it wasn't like he was about to turn back around now.

They scaled back down into the Canyon, the sun hardly visible. Whatever sounds would have come from the surface had been muffled by the rock formations. As they gazed out into the city below, they saw citizens going through their day. Most were Octolings, who walked in stiff, straight lines, eyeing their neighbors and coworkers with suspicion. Yep, Eight thought. This was the Octo Canyon he knew . On another note, the number of wanted posters along the concrete buildings seemed to have increased since he had left weeks back. He didn't have to see them up close to know he was one of the fugitives featured on the posters, as was his colleague.

The number of guards had also gone up as well. (Perhaps the Octarians had gotten word of the intruders in town? He tried not to think of that. He could only imagine what they'd do to them.) The two moved as surreptitiously as possible, ducking behind walls, timing their movements so they wouldn't be heard. Eight had been trained in stealth since birth, as all Octolings, so the trek through the main agora of the city was a breeze for him. He could see Four trying to follow in his footsteps (pun definitely intended) behind him, as she tried her darnedest to take up as little space as possible.

Anyway, if Caerula was where Three had taken up new residence, he was likely on the edge of town. If he had been in the center of the city, there was no way he wouldn't have been captured by now—Four may have been the one who took down Octavio for good, but Agent Three was a legend around here. Eight had to admit, he was nervous to meet him. If they met, that was. As far as the other agents knew, the guy might as well just have vanished into thin air. Still, if Marie had some hope that he was alive, that was enough for him to keep going. Sure, he didn't know anyone in Inkopolis well, but the woman had seemed at least decently trustworthy. Eight found himself completely lost in thought, pondering how the pair's meeting with the third agent would go. Would he agree to join them, to find out just what was going on? Or would he just abandon them like he had Inkopolis? The Octoling's body moved almost of its own free will, bobbing and weaving through the narrow streets. The quickness of his actions were soothing, in a way. Maybe they'd find Agent Three in one piece , he thought.

Of course, that's when it all came crashing down.

He felt a point on the back of his neck become awfully cold, as if something metallic was pointed against it. He turned around—an Octoling, their eyes covered by Octarian-issued goggles. They had been found. He had on the standard uniform of an Elite: a dark undershirt and pants obscured by silvery armor and combat boots. Around his hair, an inky black, was the mark of an Elite, two pieces of verdant kelp. Aimed on Four and Eight's backs were a pair of menacing-looking dualies. He locked eyes with Eight, freezing in place for a second. Had he recognized him? "You've gotta be kidding me ," the Octoling said, a smile appearing on his face, more out of dry amusement than anything. Four glanced at Eight, a look of utter confusion on her features. (He had to remember she didn't speak Octarian.) The Octoling laughed, setting down one of his two weapons and running a hand through his hair, which was tied back in a short ponytail. Eight winced.

"Well, needless to say, you'll be coming with me, " he placed a hand on each of their necks, his grip tight. The Octoling turned back to main avenue, almost parading his captives through the street. Eight looked at his feet, his face surely a mix of horror and humiliation. Wherever they were headed, they were screwed.

Eight and Four sat in the small cell. Eight leaned against the semi-transparent wall of the room, staring up into space. "Better luck next time, I guess," The Inkling was twiddling her thumbs, nervously bouncing her foot on the floor. "If there is a next time…" Four muttered. Eight looked at her vacantly. They had only been here for an hour, but the Octoling felt that their time was running out. The Octarians would either torture them for information, kill them, or both. He was almost certain of it. The mission was, so far, a royal failure. Not only did they not have the slightest idea of where Three was, but now the Octarians had found two of their most hated enemies. They had no way to contact the other agents.

The boy sighed. Was this really what he had left the depths for? He pushed that thought out of his mind. The couple of weeks since he had left the Canyon had been the most exhilarating of his life. He had managed to escape the Octarians, and on top of that, he had saved Inkopolis from total destruction. If this was how it ended, it would have been one heck of a story. Still, his more pessimistic side took over. What a bad ending to a story this would be, he thought. The only way this could have gotten worse was… he stopped himself, a distinct sound interrupting his thoughts.

The Octoling heard footsteps from the cell next to theirs. Instinctively, the pair turned to look. In walked a rather plain-looking Octoling, as well as an Inkling, following closely behind. He had on a dark jacket under a bright neon vest. His hair, a mix between chartreuse and aqua, was tied back. Over his right eye was a large burn scar, it seemed. Four practically jumped out of her seat. He saw her mouth open, quietly moving to form a word.

"Agent Three."


	7. Chapter 7

Marie continued on her trek to the Outpost, making sure to hide herself from the crowds with her parasol. She walked briskly past her Flounder Heights apartment building, barely noticing the strange new posters that had appeared on the marble walls. It had been a short while since she and Callie (well, mostly Callie) had convinced Pearl and Marina to join the agents. The time in between had been rather uneventful, but the girl still found herself uneasy.

Eight and Four hadn't returned from the Canyon in days, and Marie was beginning to be worried. She had assumed the mission would take a couple of days at the very most, but it had almost been a week since they had descended into Octo Canyon. With no means of contact, she found herself restless. If they had been captured, or worse… the Inkling couldn't bear that thought.

Nevertheless, she was returning to Tentakeel Outpost, so she tried to occupy herself with more productive thoughts. Marina and Pearl had begun to settle in to their place on the island, and Marie had took it upon herself to check in on the duo. Although the cousins were certainly no strangers to combat, it seemed that the newcomers would have preferred to stay out of the fray. The two had further explained their involvement with the Octoling, revealing that Marina was in fact a talented hacker. This was a pleasant surprise―they could certainly use some mission control.

The Inkling rose up into the Outpost, reopening her parasol as she stepped out into the bright Inkopolis sun. She found not only the duo, but Callie already there, chipper as ever. She moved over to where they stood, outside the cabin. Marina had placed a rather large computer set up on the porch's small wooden platform, decked out with teal lights and an assortment of gadgets Marie wasn't quite sure what to call. Pearl sat on one side of the Octoling, head on the taller woman's shoulder, while Callie stared in awe at the PC standing a couple of inches in front of Marina. The Octoling had on a pair of designer headphones, and was currently fiddling with the mouse, intermittently typing something at the back-lit keyboard. She appeared to notice Marie as she slipped off the headphones and waved.

"Hey," she said, sitting up a little straighter. "I hope you don't mind the mess, I'll get around to tidying this up in a couple of minutes."

"No need," Marie answered. "Nobody really lives on this island anyways," she smiled. It was true; both of the cousins lived in their apartment, and were currently in the process of finding a place for their grandfather outside the downtown area. She sat next to Callie, placing the parasol at her side. "What are you guys up to?"

"Well, uh, I got this hunk of junk up and running," Marina said, "So, I'll be waiting for your signal, Boss." Marie was taken aback by the sudden nicknaming. She laughed, placing a hand at her mouth.

"You certainly don't need to call me that," she said, "Besides, if anyone's in charge here, it'd be Agent One. She's the one who recruited me, after all," the Inkling motioned towards Callie, who was now looking rather pleased with herself.

"Oh, you guys have code names? That's kinda cool, actually," Pearl smiled. "Of course, you can call me MC Prince―"

"No," Marina interrupted. "I'd rather not use my chat name for a government agency, actually."

"Got it," Callie chimed in. "Well, Two, we might as well start rounding out the numbers. How about Pearl as Five and Marina as Six? That'd only leave Agent Seven…."

"Who is currently nonexistent, yes," Marie answered. "Yeah, that works. You guys okay with that?" The two girls nodded. So it was settled. Callie looked bored, standing from her spot and wandering off somewhere. She was impossible to keep track of, Marie thought. The light-haired Inkling glanced upwards. It was clear out, and the sky was a pretty shade of azure. The weather was nice, as it seemed the sun had decreased in intensity, despite being midday.  
 _  
She'd have to water the hydrangeas on the cabin porch soon_ , she remembered. (She wasn't sure how important her newfound gardening habit was to the task at hand, but whatever.) In the meantime, Marie tried to understand what Marina was doing on her computer screen. The Inkling knew a decent amount about technology, considering herself rather up-to-date, but Marina seemed to be a genius with technology. She couldn't be certain why this was, but she had the hunch it had to do with Marina's Octarian background. If Pearl was to be believed, Miss Ida was a master engineer. Sure, Marie had yet to see her engineering skills in action, but she would take the shorter Inkling's word for now. The Octoling's musical repertoire was more than enough proof for her.

In any case, Marie had much more to be worried about besides Marina's technological prowess. That morning, she'd received an update on the missing persons cases besetting Inkopolis. It appeared that some of the residents that had been reported missing days or weeks prior had returned… sort of. According to the news report Marie heard on her way out the apartment―by the same DJ Four had been listening to days prior, no less―three of the several that had vanished had been discovered by authorities. However, they weren't exactly in one piece, so to speak. It wasn't like they had a roughed-up knee of a broken wrist or something, but worse still. One, it seemed, had returned missing an arm. Another with gashes running down the length of their face. The final one had no visible injuries, but had reportedly refused to speak (or eat, or sleep, or do much of anything, really). Marie shuddered just thinking about it. Luckily, all of them seemed to be in stable condition, though the authorities had failed to extract any information about their whereabouts. And, she thought, if those were the ones who returned, what the hell happened to those that _didn't_?

She had theorized to Four, days prior, that perhaps the disappearances had something to do with the Octolings the agent had fought. But, Marie had no idea what that connection, if it even existed, was. She had to admit, both to herself and the other agents; she'd never been so confused about a mission. If anything, they were just as clueless as the bystanders were in this situation. It didn't make any sense _;_ the Octolings appearing in the city, the disappearances―what did it even mean? Maybe the Octarians were behind it all? No, that couldn't be. They were powerless without the general, and Agent Eight said himself that the women they had fought in that alleyway were nothing like the ones back in Octo Canyon. And of course, there was the situation with that DJ on Four's cellphone. Their voice seemed to drive away the Octolings. But, how? She had assumed that the Octolings had just been mesmerized by the item, but that was seeming less and less likely. But, alas, as long as the agents hadn't returned, their investigation was stalled.

Marie was broken out of her trance by a familiar-sounding scream. "Hey, guys?" It was Callie, who was now yelling from the interior of the metal entrance into the outpost. "We've got company!" (A muffled "I've always wanted to say that!" followed.)

Marina stood upright almost instantly, Pearl following close behind. Marie grimaced. By the sound of the Inkling's voice, these visitors were nothing good. Instinctively, she reached into the cabin behind her, grabbing her Charger. She fetched out a couple spare weapons, searching frantically for Callie's Roller. Marie tossed the weapons to the girls, who managed to catch them before they fell to the ground. "You two know how to fight?" Marie half-shouted.

"Maybe…?" Pearl said, fiddling with the trigger on the Splattershot.

"Good enough," she said, flinging her parasol to the side. Charger in hand, she leaped into the grate, praying that the square was empty.

Fortunately for her, it seemed her prayers had been answered. There were no Inklings in the plaza, as far as she could tell. However, Inkopolis Square had been overrun by a handful of figures she hadn't laid eyes on before. They looked like Octolings, but were a spooky blue-green color— _Oh shit,_ Marie thought. So, these were the things Four had told her about. Why they were appearing not only in broad daylight but in _the middle of Inkopolis Square_ , Marie had yet to learn. Well, the girls were armed, so perhaps they (and their cell phones) would stand a better chance.

Callie, who had apparently been the first to spot the intruders, seemed to be handling herself rather well: she was quick and nimble, managing to elude her attackers. Still, outnumbered seven to one, Marie knew her cousin's luck wouldn't last much longer. "They were trying to get into the grate," Callie said, sounding out of breath. Marie nodded, standing at the ready. "Heads up," she exclaimed, practically placing the Roller in the girl's hand. Callie gave a quick wink, before turning back to the battle at hand. Marie, on the other hand, backed up to the outskirts of the fight. She was a sniper, after all; if she could get to high ground, she'd be set.

Marina was surprisingly able, as well. She jumped right into the fray, mowing down two of the Octolings with ease. Pearl, however, was still unaware of how exactly her Splattershot worked. She stumbled out of the entrance to Octo Canyon, immediately finding herself cornered by three of the women.  
She paced backwards, freezing up against the cold concrete. Then, as quickly as she had been confronted, she was momentarily safe once more. The Octolings fell to their knees, revealing Marina, who looked rather menacing as she wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead.  
The Inkling could see Pearl breathe out a sigh of relief, as the taller girl smiled. "I've got your back, Pearlie!" Marie could hear the shorter Inkling say a quiet thank you in return.

It seemed the battle was going fairly well, Marie thought. She had clambered up the post at the side of Sheldon's store, barely escaping the concrete below her, narrowing an eye as she focused on the Octoling at the back of the fight. She leaned back as she focused, counting in her head ( _one, two, three…)_ and pulled the trigger. _Success._ The woman stumbled backwards, appearing to pixelate away. Before she could begin to locate her next target, she saw Callie lower her weapon. The fight was over just as quickly as it had begun. Marie felt a little unhelpful, but she was glad it was over. She slid back down to the ground below, placing the Charger at her side.

"What the hell were those?" Marie asked, still breathing heavily. The aqua ink on the asphalt had already begun to degrade in the sun. Pearl was trying to wipe some bright pink ink off her sweater, Marina pulling out a small handkerchief and handing it to her. Callie was stretching her arms over her head, leaning over on her Roller.

"I don't know," Callie said. Her voice was neutral, but she looked positively terrified. She set the Roller down, looking around to see if any bystanders had witnessed the fight. "But… these were the things that attacked Four?"

"Who?" Marina asked. Marie turned to look at her.

"You two aren't our only recruits," the Inkling started. "We've got Agent Eight―I'm sure you're well acquainted―and Agent Four on a bit of a mission. Long story, I'll explain it all later." The two nodded reluctantly.

"As for now," she turned back towards the grate, making a mental note to herself. "It's time to put an end to whatever's sending these things."


End file.
